


Lost Pages

by Xenamorph



Series: Sestiva Sunthorn Saga [7]
Category: Wizard101
Genre: Child Soldiers, F/F, Neopronouns, Wizard City
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:34:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21549184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenamorph/pseuds/Xenamorph
Summary: Spellwrit Creatures have overcome Triton Avenue and Sestiva is once again called on to help out.
Relationships: Cheryl Rubymask/Kestrel Blackstorm
Series: Sestiva Sunthorn Saga [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552402
Kudos: 3





	Lost Pages

Sestiva couldn’t seem to catch a break. First, ze was attacked by draconians on zir first day, then misgendered and talked down to by a headmaster who looked about to crumble to dust, then ze went through the humiliation of finding out that zir school wasn’t respected enough to be given a classroom! And now, while walking through a street littered with all sorts of undead, ze was expected to fight speciality beasts!

“Spellwrit Screamers?” Ze read off of the paper, head tilted as zir unblinking eyes turned up towards the pyromancer student. Zir feelers were almost trembling as ze stared at the depictions (both drawn and blurred photomanced pictures).

“Yeah, nasty lot.” Simeon drawled as even they looked reluctant to shift this mission off on a 12 year old. “They don’t come out all the time, but when they do it’s in droves. Heard there’s some ex-student of Balestorm’s shacked up behind a magic mirror in Triton.” A careless shrug of someone who’s given the same spiel to every hopeful hero who came across them. “You won’t be alone, if that makes you feel better, Merle told me to send every student who worked on Unicorn Way to Triton.”

“But every student works on Unicorn Way, it’s swarming with undead to the point of people being unable to leave their homes or being forced out of them all together! Is Merle going to put every single student on this case, when there are more necessary tasks to be finished?” Sestiva’s wings fluttered behind zir, the day was nice in Ravenwood (it always was, seemingly stuck in a permanent state of sun-dappled afternoon) and so ze had forgone zir fathers’ cloak. Zir pet spider crawled around zir feet, picking up on their owner’s agitation.

Simeon just gave a wry smile and shrugged his shoulders, “He says time is of the essence and every wizard must do his or her part.” He rolled his eyes after impersonating the Headmaster, “Even though he’s supposed to be one of the best wizards of the age he still won’t leave that tower of his.”

Sestiva buzzed zir agreement, “And he still won’t change my pronouns in the system or make accommodations for my non-human nature and he just-” Here, zir merely buzzes angrily, wings beating enough to lift zir off the ground (which caused zir pet to jump onto the end of zir robes).

“I know, I know, and the next time he calls me in there, I’ll mention it. Besides, Merle wants as many as these things taken out he’s willing to hand out badges for it.” Simeon made placating hands, knowing full well Sestiva could make a racket if ze felt incensed enough.

Sestiva’s big dark eyes grew even bigger and ze leaned in as slowly ze sank back down to have both feet on the ground, “Badges?”

“Oh yeah, badge for bringing Kestrel back to her senses, two badges for defeating numbers of spellwrit creatures.” Simeon’s voice was like gently smoldering wood to zir senses, calming them as they nodded.

“I like badges.” Ze mumbled, shifting zir feet and Simeon looked vaguely nauseous as he nodded his head.

“I know you do, now go save Wizard City!” And with a smile he certainly didn’t mean, Simeon waved Sestiva off towards the district. Even as ze walked down the tunnel towards the Commons, Sestiva overheard Simeon’s soft whisper of, “Dear Dragons, ze’s so young.” Which gave zir pause.

Quite literally making zir stop in zir tracks until ze was almost mowed down by someone’s panthera. Huffing to zirself, Sestiva fluttered up to perch in an alcove on the tunnel. And ze sat there for a bit, lost in thought about why exactly Merle was turning to an initiate sorcerer when he had high levels at his disposal. And as ze thought, ze got angrier at the idea of being made to fight souls that had been corrupted (and, a traitorous voice in zir head asks, what if they corrupt zir).

The bag of reagents ze keeps at zir side glows warmly (Sestiva had been playing at Firecat Alley and picked up a few lava lilies), and ze allows zirself to drop from zir alcove and begin the flutter-walk to Triton Avenue. Zir fathers always said to not fight when angry, that was the way of pyromancers not sorcerers after all, but Sestiva had a quest scroll in hand and a belly burning with rage and decided to sate both at once.

Ze made zir way easily to Triton Avenue, even as much larger mounts began to try to mow zir over. Either way, ze got there, and was almost exhausted just by getting to the mill. Even with the small teleporters, Sestiva’s furry chest was heaving as ze leaned on the tree next to Blad. A lazy wave of their feeler in greeting as ze took zir break, “How’s the mill, Blad?”

“It’s going, a lot better since you’ve defeated that Kraken and gotten us a better source of energy, Sest.” Blad’s gaze turned concerned and he seemed to take a harder look at zir body, “How are those electrical burns holding up? He did give you quite the thrashing.”

“Fine, Andrew cooked up a few buffed potions and some healing salves. Patched me up a good few times.” Sestiva rolled zir two sets of shoulders as ze tried to recover enough until they felt ready to go off battling. Even as ze spoke, zir eyes went to the requirements for the reward and Sestiva had to bite down a groan. Ten Spellwrit Screamers in exchange for eighty coins and fifteen credits. Eight gold and one and a half credits per Screamer. Not enough for the chance of becoming a Spellwrit Sestiva.

“Is that that Darkstaff kid I saw talking to Moolinda?” Blad asks without expecting an answer, moving to dig a small bag out of his pocket. He motioned for Sestiva to offer a hand, and dropped the bag into zir waiting hand, “Here, bit of a pick-me-up for a hard working moth.”

Sestiva couldn’t stop zir ankles from rubbing together, producing a buzzing noise, “Thank you, Blad! I should...probably get to fighting those Spellwrit Screamers, shouldn’t I?” Zir shoulders slumped just barely.

“Chin up, Sestiva, you know you can come by if you’re in need of emergency healing.” Blad clapped zir on the shoulder, strong and comforting, “Go get em, we’re all rooting for you.”

Sestiva brushed off the words, assuming it was merely a comment on the new influx of Spellwrit monsters on the streets, and then as ze was walking over the bridges ze heard the familiar timbre of Blad’s voice muttering, “What is Merle thinking?”

Sestiva refused to let zirself think on it, instead ze jumped into the barely summoned dueling circle and bringing out zir cards. Ze made zir way through the battles, getting progressively bloodier and zir mana continued to dwindle. But finally, ze was at the end of it. The final Spellwrit Screamer to be defeated before Simeon could hand over some coinage (that would immediately be spent on more lights, the necromancers in the dorms around zir made everything feel cold and dark). And so, with myth treasure cards (the Screamers were storm unlike their Scarlet counterparts) in one hand, and zir too-perfect wand in the other, ze began to battle.

A precision blade was summoned and Sestiva could feel zir focus sharpen. A blood bat was summoned from the card, which blackened and crumbled to the ground. The indicator swirled around to highlight the dagger, and the familiar crackling of storm magic as the icon swirled to life in front of the Screamer.

Almost instantly, fog overran the circle, curling around Sestiva’s ankles and curling zir fur. From under the fog, there was a cackling laugh that struck deep into zir heart (bringing up memories of stumbling into Firecat Alley and finding those possessed Fire Elves). An elf began to spring and jump around the circle, more active than most spells, and shot an arrow right at Sestiva’s chest. It wasn’t a fire elf (after all, it was a storm sigil and verse being chanted), but the arrow stung all the same. 

The fur underneath the contact point began to blacken and curl up, the horrible stench of burning fur made zir feelers twitch away, curling over zir head. One hand moved up to yank the arrow out, leaving no wound but instead an aura of storm electricity that crackled and bounced across zir chest. 

“Damned arrows-” Ze grumbled to zirself as the electricity found a mark and dealt damage. Making the health indicator around zir turn yellow, Sestiva’s hand moved to the pouch. Drawing out cattails and mist wood, ze began to transmute the items until they were glowing. Tossing the bundle into the center, a scorpion sprung up and attacked the Screamer. Getting the health all the way in the red, Sestiva waited for zir turn again and finished them off with a well placed fire cat. 

Ze stumbled zir way onto the sidewalk, leaning heavily on the decrepit triton statue. While ze was no longer taking any damage, the electricity remained static on zir chest. Making the remaining wound buzz and flicker as Sestiva stumbles zir way back to Blad’s home. Ze knew that ze could use zir charm to go home (go right to Simeon and then get the next part of the quest and do that), but ze wanted to be able to be selfish for a bit. That’s what kids do right? They get to be selfish and make people pay attention to them?

Sestiva wouldn’t know, ze doubts ze’ll ever know. With how Merle seems insistent on zir taking more and more dangerous quests, Sestiva can only imagine that things get more and more dangerous from here on out, even if ze gets better at managing the quests (or at least, better at hiding zir emotions and pain).

But right now, in the comforting warmth of Blad’s home on Triton Avenue, Sestiva doesn’t think about the future. Instead, ze only thinks of the coins waiting for zir to receive (and then spend on color coordinating zir outfit), and the warm cup of hot chocolate sticking to the pads of zir hands. The laughter of Blad as Sestiva chittered away, kicking zir legs beneath zir chair as ze talked about zir progress in zir balance classes. Even bringing out some mist wood and kelp to transform into a small scarab that skittered across the table and up Blad’s arms. Causing the man to laugh, if a bit wary of the rearing beetle on his arm.

But good things can never last, as Sestiva noticed the gently glowing scroll and a frown made zir feelers curl down. “This was nice, Blad, I think I’ll come back tomorrow and show you my scorpion!” Ze beamed, before bouncing off towards Ravenwood.

Blad gave zir a paternal smile (a real one, not the one that made zir feelers stand straight up in anger), and wave zir off. The door closed before he let his shoulders sag and breathed out, “What is Ambrose thinking…”

Sestiva had already made zir way to zir dorm room. Which was much too cramped for a 5’5 moth, especially with the necessary lamps for zir to relax. With zir wings almost entirely overlapping to avoid brushing up against any hot surface, Sestiva made zir way to the door and exited onto the pavilion of Ravenwood proper. 

Almost skipping towards Simeon, ze proudly showed off the completed glowing scroll. “Got all ten of them, Simeon!” Zir voice was almost a crow as zir wings beat behind them and allowing zir to float.

“Great job, Sest! You should probably get that cursed page off to Argleston so he can contain it in the Restricted Section.” Simeon grinned as he passed zir the coins and allowed the experience to be gained. 

“On it! How many of these pages are there in this cursed tome?” Sestiva fluttered about, not willing to leave for the library just yet. Instead taking to almost skating around Simeon as they gave another chittering giggle, dark eyes wide and excited.

Simeon didn’t have to force a smile this time, indulging in the joy that Sestiva always took when ze was close to getting a new badge, “So many, kid, so many.” The endearment draws him back to the static still spiking zir fur. “Go along to Harold, the sooner he gets the pages the better.”

“Harold~” Ze draws out, feelers flicking in one of zir more common emotions: sarcasm, “It’s weird that Mr. Argleston has a first name, ain’t it?” Ze says something in Krysalian and then begins zir flutter to the Library, “Maybe I’ll go back and see if I can’t get another page!” There was a slight bounce-wobble in zir flight as ze went down the tunnel.

Out of the corner of his eye, Simeon saw the Balance teacher (Arthur Wester-something or other) bring out a mission scroll and begin to write. He can stop the scowl from twisting his lips, wanting nothing more than to leave his post by the dorms to go up to the dog and grab that scroll and rip it up before Sestiva gets it. And then another student walks up with a completed scroll and he has to dig out more coins from the bag Headmaster Ambrose gave him.

Sestiva bounded through the Commons, using the street in front of Merle’s tower to get to the Library faster. Ze didn’t really need a mount, zir wings carried zir further than any rented or overly expensive mount could carry zir. Sestiva bobbed and weaved zir way past Zeke’s cart and Eloise's sewing section. Giving them a wave with one of zir four hands, ze didn’t truly stop for a chat as ze flittered into the library and placed the still sparking scroll on the desk, “One page of the Lost Pages of Storm!” Zir voice was a chirp as ze made sure not to let any errant magic alight on the books around the dog.

“Perfect speed and timing as ever, Mx. Sestiva.” Harold Argleston beamed at them as he took out a few coins and handed them to zir, “Go talk to that professor of yours, I think he has a task for you.”

Sestiva cooed out, one pair of hands cupping zir face as the other set were clasped in front of zir chest, “Really! Oh, khryckets, I’ll get going right now!” And, as ze turned on zir heel, zooming out of the library in a rustle of pages. Sestiva just barely managed to stop in front of Arthur as ze held out a hand, “I heard from Argleston that you have a task for me?”

“Yes, I do. And, Sestiva, you know I wouldn’t ask of anything that wasn’t certainly necessary-” Arthur begins, but gets cut off by a buzz from Sestiva’s wings.

“Yes yes I know! I’m just a pupa and I can’t be trusted with the big moth quests just give me the scroll!” Ze stamps zir foot on the ground.

Arthur sighed, once again faced with the age of one of his star pupils (truly it was no wonder Merle chose zir to be named the Chosen One). Sestiva wasn’t one of his favorites due to zir ability to transmute or cast (ze was still a child, and children lacked the focus of proper sorcerers still), but because of the sheer enthusiasm ze showed in the classes. Focusing on that, Arthur shook his head, “No, no, nothing of the sort. You see, it’s one of my old pupils this time. While not a balance user, Kestrel was in a few of my crafting transmutation classes. She still has a spot in my heart and while I have to stay here to teach, I want someone to go try and save her.”

“And only I can save her?” Sestiva looked equal measures resigned and hopeful.

“Not quite, but you are another one of my favorite pupils. You can join a team, everyone’s working on battling past her first few floors of summoned minions so that gives you and a few others a chance to make it to the final level of her tower. That way you can bring her back down and save her.”

Sestiva beamed, feelers sticking straight up as ze proclaimed, “You can count on me, Wethersfield!” Before almost flashing away towards Triton Avenue, having left a marker there before at Blad’s house.

Stumbling as zir feet hit the ground, Sestiva gave a small wave to one of the conjurer’s fighting (ze thinks ze knows their name, at least knows their face from one of Professor Drake’s lectures). The conjurer looked up, eyes a bit fogged up from the sheer amount of conjuring they had done. 

“Well hey there, Tivia!” Cheryl’s voice twanged out from their spot stuck in the dueling circle, “You’re here about that Blackstorm gal, ain’tcha? Well I’ll be, so am I! We can do it together!” They say, easily finishing off the banshee with barely a murmur of the Name.

The conjurer moved out of the dueling circle, brushing the almost-still-live embers off of the complex weaving on their robe, “Oh my! You’re still so small!” Though Sestiva was 5’5 (which admittedly was short for their species and age), Cheryl Rubymask was a towering 6'5 for their age of 17. Their strong hand moved to ruffle in between zir feelers (so very careful of not nudging them and overstimulating them), and ze could feel the new scars and calluses covering their hand.

“And you got tall!” Sestiva says, because ze knows that that is what you say. “But, yes! I am here about Kestrel Blackstorm. The mission scroll says to defeat her, but...we won’t really be...seriously hurting her will we?” Zir feelers dipped down, and ze ran zir fingers along the groves in their wand.

Cheryl’s smile is too knowing as they shake their head, “I won’t letcha hurt anyone, you’re much too young for that. Worst comes to worst, I’ll handle her. Cause I ain’t letting you get hurt either.” Their gaze turned a bit more serious and their hand moved to squeeze zir shoulder, “Not one for promise breaking.”

“I know you aren’t, Cheryl.” Sestiva beams, fluttering up a bit as ze take in zir old friend’s new clothes. “I haven’t seen designs like those before! And I think I’ve seen designs from a lot of worlds!” Zir current definition of a lot of worlds was five.

“They’re from a world further along in the spiral, it’s called Zafaria.” The word rumbled off of Cheryl’s tongue as they rolled the ‘r’ more than necessary. “It’s such a beautiful word! I’ll tell you all about it after we bring Kestrel back to herself, I knew the babe in a few alchemy classes. Would hate to see her stuck in a bad place.” Cheryl shifted their grip on their bow, testing the string as they aimed nothing at the sky, “We can hang at my house, I got a new castle with my adventuring funds!”

Sestiva cooed out, eyelids lowering slightly as ze nodded, “Yes! Ooh please tell me about Zafaria, tell me about the scents and smells and textures.” Zir voice was a wavering coo as ze stared intently at Cheryl’s clothes, as if by just looking ze could feel the texture. 

They offered up an arm, allowing Sestiva’s fingertips to run across the textured cloth. The sensitive, still un-callused fingertips caught up on every thread and specialized design on the rough cloth. Sestiva’s coo became layered, like three of zir were speaking at once, “Very nice….”

Cheryl’s strong hand moved to clasp zir on the shoulder, squeezing as they grin, “I know, and I have a couple more outfits that I can’t use. Maybe you’ll be able to get some use out of them, and even if you can’t, you can still have them!”

Ze preened at the idea, pads of zir fingers still running over the rough cloth as if to memorize the detailing, “Ooh yes, fabric sounds good. Sounds really very good!” Sestiva’s eyes were wide and zir head was spinning with the idea of having a real castle of zir own and having rooms upon rooms of clothing that ze has better of or can’t use. Just for the texture, a room for every world of the spiral. 

Cheryl’s hand squeezing zir shoulder snapped Sestiva out of zir daze, “C’mon along kiddo, you’re gonna hafta be my seeing eye moth right now.” Their lips curled slightly, but their eyes were unfocused.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Ze tilted zir head, fluttering up just enough to try to get a better look at their eyes.

“Myth student thing, some of us tend to become blinded in favor of our third eye.” A vague gesture at their forehead. “So I’m going to need ya help here, just direct me towards Blackstorm.” Contrary to their unfocused gaze, Cheryl had one of their classically blinding smiles on their lips.

“Aye-Aye, Mx. Rubymask!” Sestiva cooed, taking them by the hand and letting the glowing arrow lead zir towards Dee’s mirror. It was a beautiful antique thing at the entrance to the Haunted Cave, burnished bronze and spotless glass reflecting the two wizards back at them. Zir wings gave a small flutter at the feeling of pure balance magic pouring out of the mirror, taking the form of a red-tinted smoke that curled around zir ankles.

“Are we in front of it?” Cheryl asked, eyes narrowed as they reached out. Copper magic sparking at the tips of their fingers as their myth magic reacted with the balance fog, “Yes, we are. I can feel the magic of Dee’s mirror.”

“You know Dee?” Sestiva asked, head turning with just a light buzz of zir antennae to warn Cheryl.

“No, not personally. She was far before my time, but this magic mirror? I know this. This magic and these spellwrit foes, this happens every so often. Kestrel and the rest of the Carpe Diem Society find more and more of those cursed tomes in the restricted section.” They gave a slight scoff, shaking their head, “I know Kestrel though, and she’s a good kid.” A slight sigh and they gesture towards the mirror, “There’s going to be a crowd of people in there recuperating from the battles, maybe we can ask for treasure cards from them.”

Sestiva let a slightly nervous giggle leave zir lips as ze shook zir head, “Oh, I don’t use treasure cards! They make my brain get fuzzy, though I think it could be the wand Headmaster Ambrose gave me!” Ze fiddled with the tip of the wand.

Cheryl’s lips pursed, and they just took a step through the rippling face of the mirror, trusting Sestiva to follow them in. 

And they were right, the second the mirror stopped rippling behind zir, Sestiva was met with an array of faces in various states of being battered. Some just had a few claw marks on their cheeks, or tearing their robes. Others had black eyes and bruises peppering their bodies as they stripped half down in order to put salves on them. The worst of the bunch had electrical burns still skittering with frantic energy up and down their arms.

The group’s attention was drawn to the pair, and a smattering of murmurs at the sight of the young moth standing there. A diviner, outfitted in tailor made armor that Sestiva was itching to touch, stepped forward, “You two here for Kestrel?”

“Yes, Gabriel, we are.” Cheryl’s voice comes out clipped as their grip on zir arm tightened, “Now could you allow Sestiva to lead me into the battle zone?”

“Are you sure you can handle something like that?” His voice is needlessly antagonistic as he lazily gripped the hilt of his sword. And oh, Sestiva could feel the storm magic crackling off of the blade.

Cheryl ground her teeth, causing Sestiva’s feelers to direct away, “I know that I can. I’m a conjurer. I may be blind, or at least mostly, but if you make one more fucking comment I’m going to show you just how bad of a bite my Orthrus has.”

Ze ignored the pointed looks and small gestures that everyone was directing towards zir. Especially the whisper of ‘little ears’ that Gabriel murmured out. “Alright!” Sestiva’s voice was a chirp as ze slowly moved to tug Cheryl towards the tunnel leading upwards, “We are going to go and try to subdue Kestrel and not attack each other. This isn’t the Unicorn Way Arena, so no Person v person here!” For a 12 year old, Sestiva was very strong, so it wasn’t truly hard for zir to encourage Cheryl to follow zir towards the battlegrounds.

The pair seemed to have gotten there at a lull in the battling. Even so, there were remnants of dueling circles and used treasure cards. Sestiva’s eyes went wide and ze momentarily left Cheryl standing as ze began to pick up the scraps of cloth left behind by the Spellwrit Screamers. 

“Hey, what-“ 

“Sorry! Sorry!” Ze moved back to their side, “It’s just-“

“Let me guess,” Cheryl had the sort of tone that Sestiva’s fathers would take with zir whenever ze found new fabrics and textures, “The Screamers dropped those weird yellow-white rune cloths they wear?”

Sestiva gave a low humming noise, bobbing zir head as ze flushed hard(or, flushed as hard as a moth could), “Yeah…”

Cheryl had the same smile on their lips as zir fathers always did as they patted Sestiva’s arm, “Next time tell me when you’re about to touch me, Tivia.”

“Of course!” Sestiva gave their arm a gently squeeze and zir feelers flicked back at the smell of ozone, “Cher-”

“I know, I feel it too.” The conjurer flicked the string of their bow, summoning up a few blue and gold arrows as they did so. 

The pair didn’t have a second more to prepare as two Spellwrit Screamers appeared. Sestiva found zirself pulled into the sun circle, with Cheryl by zir side at the eye. The conjurer laughed at the irony or ‘eye-rony’ as they put it.

Sestiva breathes heavily through zir mouth, eyes slipping shut as ze sat down in the circle. Of course, tradition implied for zir to remain standing, but it never worked in practice. Transmutation was easiest done with focus, and Sestiva found that trying to balance everything while standing took much too much effort to cast a successful spell.

Sure, ze might look a tad childish sitting cross legged in the middle of a duel, but ze figured that it was the cost of not fizzling and wasting supplies. Some ore spilled out onto the ground, shimmering and steaming at the magic surrounding zir.

“Scarab.” Sestiva murmured as ze picked up some deep mushrooms and scattered ore. Tossing the mix into the center, ze allowed zir second eyelid to slip down and protect zir eyes from the sand summoned up around the scarab. 

Reaching over the circle, Cheryl ruffled the fur in between zir feelers, “You’re coming along great, kiddo! That was a good hit!” They praised, somehow avoiding sounding condescending or patronizing. Their hands moved to ready their bow, an arrow forming already notched as Cheryl whispered a Name along the shaft, “Humngofrog.”

The arrow flew until it vanished in the middle of the circle, and the ground trembled under the weight of the summoned creature. The two Screamers didn’t stand a chance under the weight of it all, and Cheryl’s aura was almost as static as a diviner’s. And then they were gone with two hellishly overlapping screams and they were alone.

“Boy howdy! That sure was a trip and a half! Gotta say, Hugh right there really is one of my favorites to summon up!” Cheryl beamed, rolling their shoulders back as they strapped the bow behind them again.

“You’re a very good teammate to have.” Sestiva says in a soft voice, slowly moving to the suddenly vacated circles to harvest the softly glowing ectoplasm and scattered golden cards. 

“Aw, ain’t nothing, Tivia. Ya’know I’m always ready to lend a hand. You got my message feature and no matter what drama I deal with in Zafaria I’m always ready to come back and give ya a hand!”

Sestiva let out a coo, nodding as ze fluttered to zir feet. “Let’s go find Kestrel, these battles are taking it out of me.” Ze rubbed the back of zir hand against zir eye, yawning out as ze blinked slowly. 

Cheryl moved closer, wrapping an arm around Sestiva as they led the moth towards the tunnel upwards. “Don’t worry, I’ll get in first so you dont have to use up a lotta mana.”

All ze answered with was a chitter, feelers vibrating as Sestiva moved with them. The tunnel was shorter than others ze had travelled through, but full of static energy. By the time the pair reached the next room, Sestiva’s fur had fully fluffed out around zir and small sparks of static were generating between zir feelers. The circular room was dark, and Sestiva’s nose twitched as ze tried to smell something other than the overpowering stench of ozone.

“Have you read the Book of Lost Pages?” A voice spoke from the middle of the room, and suddenly the wall sconces were lit. Crackling purple flames sparked up in one after the other, leaving Sestiva reeling from the sudden influx of light. “Come with me through the Spiral, and I'll show you the great truths!” 

Cheryl stepped in front of zir, one arm out to keep zir steady as they caught the gaze of Kestrel, “Babe, calm on down now. Just give us the chance to get you down from this power trip your on.”

Kestrel’s eyes seemed to dim for only a moment, before the purple shine overtook them once more. “Then prepare to be storm blasted, intruder!” With a scream of power, a dueling sigil was formed.

Cheryl was the first to get tugged in, finding themselves stuck in the sun circle with Sestiva next to them in the eye. A single rotting fodder was next to Kestrel in the key circle, with Kestrel herself taking up the dagger. Kestrel had the initiative and Sestiva was fumbling with zir ingredients as ze contemplated what spell to cast first.

Treasure cards were out, all ze had were support items that Cheryl didn’t need. Shields that made no impact with their amount of health, blades that they couldn’t use and traps they couldn’t trigger. So ze just grabbed a few balance blades, stuffed them into zir deck and glanced up at the rotting fodder. Storm enemies, Cheryl did extra damage so they didn’t need a damage boost. Zir let a little bit of ectoplasm vanish in zir hand as a levitation spell (non-combat, but it wasn’t zir turn yet). Cards floated in front of zir face, and ze swiped through them. Discarding and drawing up blades that were immediately given to Cheryl.

Cheryl let out a soft laugh, rumbling and deep like the earthquakes ze knew they could summon, and bladed themself. One blue and gold disc circling around their head, glinting and flashing in the storm-light. A few more rounds went, and Sestiva found zirself bleeding. Too many storm men with their charged blades that slashed through zir fur, and a pixie was summoned. Closing the wounds but not cleaning the clotted fur of blood, Sestiva was left panting and grunting even as Cheryl summoned her final Humungofrog.

The dueling circle vanished, leaving a dazed and confused Kestrel standing there. “Ow, my aching head!” She gave a sharp gasp when she saw Cheryl, rushing forward and grabbing their hands, “I can’t believe I attacked you, I’m so sorry!” Kestrel moved to tug down her hood, showing off dark pink hair buzzed down to the scalp. “Those stupid pages cursed me!” Worrying her bottom lip in between her teeth, she looked up at Cheryl, “Can you forgive me?”

“Course I can, darlin’,” Cheryl’s voice drawled out as they gently scraped their nails across Kestrel’s scalp, “Now, let’s get you back home.” They glance back at Sestiva, raising an eyebrow, “Tivia, do you have a marker set? I can walk you back if you’re feeling too out of it.”

Kestrel’s eyes went wide at the sight of Sestiva’s bloodied form, her hands flying up to her mouth as she gasped, “Oh my!”

Sestiva shook zir head, summoning up the connection to zir teleporter near zir teacher, “I’m fine! The kraken was a lot worse for me, I came out with only around a sliver of health!” Ze laughed as ze slowly disappeared, “I’ll message you later Cheryl and you can show me those fabrics from-” Zir words were cut off as ze zapped to the pre-set location.

Kestrel rested her head on Cheryl’s chest, frowning slightly, “The _Kraken?_ That’s an entire storm god, what’s an initiate doing fighting him! Who let zir do that!”

“Merle did.” Cheryl’s voice was low as they rested a hand on the small of Kestrel’s back, “He’s been sending zir out on quests that a twelve year old has no place-”

“Sestiva’s only 12!” Kestrel almost screeched, pushing away from Cheryl, “We’re going to Merle’s. I’m going to have a talk to him about this!” Her fingers fidgeted with the wand in her hand, sending small sparks through the air.

“Alright. I’m coming with you though, I’m...worried about how you’re going to handle this.” 

Sestiva grunted as ze fell to the ground in front of Arthur, rubbing a hand over the closed wounds on zir chest, “Kestrel’s all good, Westerfield. I left her in the arms of Cheryl Rubymask.” Zir voice came out rough and clipped as ze steadied themselves.

“You managed to free her from the bonds of _The Book of Lost Pages_? Very good, Sestiva!” He clapped a supportive hand on zir shoulder, “After a bit of rest and a spot of tea with that lover of hers, I’m sure she’ll be right as rain!”

“Of course,” Ze held out zir hand and received the pouch of gold coins, “I don’t think I’m going to make it to lessons today, I’m sorry Westerfield I know I’ve missed a lot of classes so far but-”

Arthur raised up a hand, gently silencing zir, “Don’t worry. A mission scroll will be automatically delivered and if you have any questions you know where to find me. Go and rest, Sestiva-” And here, he gives an attempt at pronouncing zir actual last name.

Sestiva’s feelers stood straight up and ze bounced a bit, “You said my last name! You said my last name!” Ze cooed out before hugging him tight, surprisingly tight for a 12 year old, and then flitting up to zir dorm room window and entering.

There was a comfortable lull the second ze entered the room and shut the balcony doors. Globes of fire floated above the Dragonspyrian pedestals, lighting the room in fluctuating tones of red and orange. Sestiva caught a glance of zirself in zir full length mirror and frowned at the sight of zir clumped and bloody fur. 

Taking one of zir microfiber towels (an absolute necessity with zir fur), Sestiva made zir way towards the communal bathrooms. Ignoring the stares that others were giving zir, ze made zir way into one of the stalls and began to clean the remnants of zir wounds. 

Sestiva dodged a few more questions with a few more slight smiles and bug noises, and soon ze was back in zir dorm room. Making a stumbling path towards zir cocoon, ze wanted nothing more than to collapse and maybe hibernate for a good while.

But almost as soon as ze laid down, a quest scroll appeared. Marked urgent, from the Headmaster himself. Sestiva let out a small noise as zir shoulders slumped, but ze moved out of zir cocoon anyway. Grabbing zir reagents pouch and fathers’ cloak, Sestiva set out to see what else needed a 12 year old’s assistance.


End file.
